Monday, October 23rd
Treasure Hill
1st Paul Smith (3) 31 points
2nd Niall Glover (12) 30 points
3rd Craig Dows (3) 30 points
4th Kob Glover (16) 29 points
Near pins John Soo, Kob Glover, & Paul Smith.
Sometimes curious things happen at golf courses here in Thailand. Today we were forced to wait about forty-five minutes before we could check in at the course for some reason that nobody could fathom or explain despite there being nobody waiting to tee off. Our 11.00 booking was changed without notice to 11.30, however commonsense prevailed and we got away at our regular time, perhaps it was just a taste of things to come during high season.
Just about everybody finds Treasure Hill a difficult course on which to score and today was no different with some of the lowest scores seen for a long time. Paul Smith took first place with a lowly thirty-one points with Niall Glover taking second place on countback from Craig Dows, Kob Glover took fourth place with twenty-nine points. Just like last week nobody found the green on the second hole so only three near-pins were taken going to Kob Glover, John Soo, & Paul Smith. Everybody is looking forward to our last game at Burapha on Wednesday before silly high season prices kick in.
Wednesday, October 25th
Burapha C & D
1st Michael Brett (16) 35 points
2nd Jimmy Carr (20) 35 points
3rd Paul Smith (3) 34 points
4th Kob Glover (16) 34 points
Near pins Alan Sullivan, & Craig Dows.
Our last game at Burapha turned out to be somewhat disappointing despite our great expectations. The course was in the worst condition anyone can remember for a very long time and it is difficult to see how the proposed high season prices can be justified. The greens were very substandard, slow, and bumpy with brown patches all over them, the bunkers were full of hard-packed sand, most had mud and flood water in them and the rough was so deep and thick it was difficult to find any ball that went in there and almost impossible to get the ball out. Heavy overnight rain meant no run on the fairways so the course played very long and with the mudball rule gone some shots were very difficult.
Despite the difficult conditions scores were better than Monday at Treasure Hill. Michael Brett edged out Jimmy Carr for first place on countback. Similarly, Paul Smith took third on countback from Kob Glover. Remarkably only two near pins were taken going to Craig Dows and Alan Sullivan.
We are expecting a big increase in numbers for Friday’s game at Pattavia with the recent arrival of Geoff Williams, Tom McMurray, Keith Hemmings, and Roger Tuohy. We expect further arrivals next week.
Friday, October 27th.
Pattavia.
1st Geoff Atwell (25) 36 points
2nd Jimmy Carr (20) 35 points
3rd Roger Tuohy (10) 35 points
4th Kob Glover (15) 34 points
5th Paul Smith (4) 33 points
Near pins Jimmy Carr, Roger Tuohy, & Craig Dows.
Despite recent heavy rain, the Pattavia course was in surprisingly good condition, even the greens, normally very quick were far more reasonable today. We were out behind another society who played at a decent pace so we were never held up at any stage.
Thunder rumbled all around all day with flashes of lightning, it seemed inevitable that we would get a drenching, fortunately, we stayed dry but we could see how close the rain came on the drive back to Pattaya.
As has happened so many times in the past the Sherif of Sherwood Forest, Geoff Atwell was present and did his regular trick of taking first place with a top score of thirty-six points off a generous handicap of twenty-five. Jimmy Carr edged out Roger Tuohy for second place, both with thirty-five. Jimmy also managed to win all the sixes and bag a near pin so a very good day for him. Roger Tuohy also got himself a nearpin. Kob Glover took fourth place with thirty-four points, one ahead of Paul Smith in fifth. Craig Dows got a near pin with one unclaimed.
Winner at Treasure Hill Paul Smith
Winner at Burapha Michael Brett
Winner at Pattavia Geoff Atwell.